Second Time Around
by kaela097
Summary: Blair is pregnant with Chuck's second child, and she wants to make some big changes to their life. Chuck is determined to do things right this time.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**This is a continuation of my story, Daddy's Little Girl. Starts a little over a year later.**

"Make sure you keep an eye on her, Chuck," Blair called out to her husband as she watched him carry their eighteen month old daughter down the sandy beach to the edge. He nodded in acknowledgement as he slowly walked further and further into the rising tide. She could hear Charlotte squealing in delight as she started to get wet.

"What a little beach bunny," she chuckled as she took her design sketch pad out of her beach bag and began drawing while she soaked in the sun's rays. Charlotte loved the beach, every one they had been to since they started taking monthly excursions.

Life was good for Chuck and Blair. They'd been married for over three years now. Each day was impossibly better than the one before. If she had envisioned her perfect life as a child, it hadn't come close to this.

She had just returned to CB Fashions five months ago a month after Charlotte turned a year old. The days away from Charlotte were torture, but she managed to get through them. It helped knowing that Chuck was with their little girl.

He had announced his leave of absence when Charlotte was four months old. The Board of Directors was understandably upset, but Chuck had already had a back up in mind that he knew would be capable of the job. The company hadn't skipped a beat in his absence. He still stayed on as Chairman of the Board, but all of his other duties had been transferred to his number two in command, and of course he was still the majority stakeholder in the company which kept him a very rich man if he even cared which Blair highly doubted he did.

Blair knew that he was contemplating giving his outright resignation, but they were still discussing that between the two of them. She wanted him to make up his mind before she gave him another bit of news that she knew would swing him in the wrong direction if he was leaning towards returning; she was pregnant with their second child.

She had been nervous about telling him about her first pregnancy, but she was perhaps more nervous with the second one. She knew he'd be thrilled. He wanted more children. He had been telling her that for a while, but she didn't want him to feel that he had to stay home and take care of the kids while she went out and made a name for herself in the fashion industry. In fact, she found that she would rather return home.

The original rush of creating a line and doing it better than her mother had been great. CB Fashions was rapidly becoming one of the elite names in the industry. She really was thrilled about that, but she wanted to be home. She wanted to be with Chuck and Charlee.

She was randomly drawing as her thoughts played through her mind. When she looked at the results she saw a picture of Chuck and Charlee playing in the waves staring back at her from the pad of paper. She hadn't even realized she was doing it.

She had no idea how she was going to tell Chuck about her feelings. He was so proud of her, and he given her everything that she had told him she wanted. Now she wanted something completely different.

"Mommy!" Charlotte squealed as she came running towards Blair as fast as her tiny feet could carry her. She quickly lunged for Blair, soaking her thoroughly with her wet bathing suit.

"Charlee, you're all wet," Blair exclaimed as she hugged the little girl close, "Did Daddy tell you to get me wet?"

Charlotte nodded her head as she began laughing as Chuck approached with his trademark smirk. Blair shot back a glare as he leaned down to kiss her, pulling away to shake his wet head so that she would be even wetter.

"Chuck Bass, you are asking for trouble," Blair shrieked as she pushed him away.

"Swim, Mommy," Charlotte insisted as she began pulling on Blair's hand as Chuck pulled the design pad out of her hands and admired it.

"In a minute, Charlotte," Chuck responded as he continued to stare at the drawing, "This is incredible, Blair."

"I was just doodling," she shrugged.

"You've been doing a lot of doodling then," Chuck responded as he began flipping through her sketch book. All of the pages were of him and Charlotte that she had drawn over the past week of their vacation.

She shrugged as she stood up.

"Seriously, Blair, I didn't know you could draw like this," Chuck responded in awe of the new discovery he had made.

"It's nothing, Chuck," she insisted as she snatched the book away from him and shoved it into her beach bag as she picked up Charlotte. "You said you wanted to swim, right Charlee?"

The little brown hair child nodded as she allowed Blair to carry her away.

"Blair," Chuck called after her. He was confused by what he had just witnessed. He quickly ran after them catching up just as Blair was waist deep in the surf.

"Daddy," Charlotte squealed as she held out her arms for him. Chuck took her from Blair, spinning her around. They continued their playtime until Charlotte was worn out and almost asleep in Chuck's arms. They decided it was time to head back to their rented penthouse so Charlotte could take a nap.

* * *

"Blair, can we talk?" Chuck asked as he joined her in their bedroom once Charlotte had been laid down in her room. Blair was lying out on the bed wrapped only in a towel as she had freshly showered. She had her sketchpad in her hand once again. She had set out this time to draw fashion sketches, but it still ended up being a sketch of Chuck in formalwear.

Blair nodded as she looked up at him expectantly. He quickly joined her on the bed as he took the notepad out of her hands.

"How long have you been drawing?" he asked as he flipped to the page she had drawn on the beach and held it up for her.

"Not long," she shrugged, "It's really a natural progression I guess to sketching for fashion."

"This is excellent," he responded, "We've both seen our fair share of remarkable artwork, this is on par with all of that. You should show this to Lily. You know her art connections."

"It's just something fun to do to escape the everyday grind," she replied as she took the paper away from him and set it on the nightstand.

"Everyday grind," he repeated, "Blair, is your work boring you?"

"I wouldn't exactly say it's boring," she responded slowly.

"What are you not telling me?" he asked as he put his hand on her stomach. She jumped a little in surprise, which greatly concerned him. "Blair, talk to me!"

"I want to resign from CB Fashions," she responded tearfully. Chuck pulled her into his arms as she completely fell apart.

"What's going on with you, Waldorf?" he asked as he stroked her hair as he attempted to comfort her, "I thought you wanted to continue with the line."

"I thought so too," she nodded into his chest, "But every minute away from you and Charlee gets harder and harder. You wake up every morning knowing that you'll get to spend the day with her, and I wake up knowing that I'll spend my day away from her."

"If you want to keep the line, we can work something out," he tried to assure her, "We can come with you to the office, or you could work from home."

"It's not about the line," she responded, "I'm not sure it ever really was. I guess I did it because I wanted to prove to my mother that I was better than she was, and I've done that. Everyday when I look at Charlotte, I get this fear that keeps building in the pit of my stomach."

"What fear?" he prompted her.

"The fear that I'm going to do to Charlotte what my mother did to me . . .make me feel like I'm invisible, that I wasn't more important to her than her career or her social status," she responded as the tears continued to flow. She couldn't stop herself now. She thought that part of it was the hormones, but most of it was her true feelings.

"So you want to sell the line," he concluded, "If that's all it will take to make you happy again, I'll gladly take the line off your hands and integrate it into Bass Industries. You know how hard I tried to buy it from you before our wedding. I wasn't doing it to keep you under my thumb, although that would have been an added bonus. I was doing it because it was a sound investment. I can keep it alive and well until the day you may want to take it back."

"You'd do that for me," she responded as she wiped her eyes as she sniffled.

"Don't you know by now that I'll do anything for you," he responded as he kissed her eyelids in hopes of drying her tears.

"I love you, Chuck," she responded as she melt into him.

"I love you too," Chuck responded as he kissed her. "Now talk to me about the stomach touch. You never flinch when I touch you."

"First tell me which way you're leaning with the CEO thing," she insisted.

"What does that have to do with me touching you?" he looked at her baffled.

"Answer the question, and then I'll tell you," she demanded in only a way she could.

"I've already got my resignation letter drafted," he replied with a dramatic sigh, "I wanted to talk to you about it first, but I want to step down."

"That's a good answer," she responded as she brought his hand to rest on her stomach once more.

"Blair," he responded as his jaw drop. She smiled, knowing that he had instantly made the connection. "Are you serious?"

"Knocked up once more," she grinned.

He quickly pushed aside the towel she had wrapped around her and kissed her stomach. She began giggling as his lips began tickling her stomach.

"How long have you known?" he mumbled into her skin.

"A few weeks," she responded, "I've been looking for a way to tell you. I'm almost three months along already."

"But there was no morning sickness," he responded, "You were sick for the first three months you were pregnant with Charlotte."

"I've been a little sick," she admitted, "But it wasn't the constant it was with Charlotte. It seemed to come and go so I passed it off as food poisoning and the stomach flu."

"Wow," was the only response he had as his lips continued to travel her body.

"You're happy right?" she inquired as she pulled on his hair lightly to get him to look at her.

"Of course, I'm happy," he replied sincerely, "A life with you and our children is all I've ever really wanted."

"You're going to get sick of me being around all the time," she stated, "If I quit my job and stay home with both you and Charlotte and this baby, we'll drive each other nuts."

"But in the best possible ways," he assured her as he pulled her into his arms so they could cuddle. It wasn't often they did, even after a night of passion, Blair and Chuck didn't cuddle . . . they prepared themselves for round two. It was only when Blair was pregnant that he did this, and she loved it.

She sighed as she closed her eyes and let herself finally be happy. She had everything that she ever needed and it turned out it was all that she wanted.

"Our life keeps getting better, doesn't it Chuck," she stated with a content sigh.

"How can it not?" he stated as he kissed her forehead, "We're together."

TBC . . .


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Daddy, Pony," Charlotte squealed as she pointed to the plastic horse of the carousel that she was pulling him towards as fast as her feet could carry her. Blair and Chuck had intended to take her to Central Park today to tell her about the baby that was on the way.

They had returned from their tropical hideaway and immediately got the ball rolling on Bass Industries buyout of CB Fashions. The Board of Directors loved the idea. They had been involved in fashion for awhile, but had yet to reach the success that CB Fashions would take them to instantly.

Blair loved that the day after the sale was completed she woke up for the first time since Charlotte had turned a year old knowing that she would be spending the day with her daughter and her husband, which is what they were now doing.

Chuck laughed as he picked up his little girl and walked a little more swiftly to the ride. Blair followed behind with the stroller. She was suddenly wondering why they had even bought the thing. Charlotte never rode in it. She was always walking or being carried wherever she wanted to go by Chuck. In the stroller, she wasn't in charge. She couldn't dictate where they would end up. She was so much like Blair that it scared her sometimes.

Chuck handed a wad of cash over to the operator and instructed him that they would be riding for a while. The man looked at the wad and nodded. How could the man argue with five hundred dollars?

"Mommy, coming?" Charlotte asked as she motioned to Blair to join them.

"Not this time, Sweetheart," Blair stated, "I'll be right here waiting for you to get off."

Chuck stopped and returned to Blair's side for a moment, pressing his forehead to hers. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. She'd been having bouts of morning sickness for the past few days, and this morning had been no exception. It was a little stranger for the sickness to start so late in a pregnancy, they knew, but their doctor had assured them that everything was okay. "Go have fun. I'll be waiting right here. And when you two are done, we can go watch the penguins."

Charlotte cheered happily as Chuck walked back to the carousel as Charlotte waved to Blair. She waved back as her husband hoisted the little girl on top of the horse she had picked out and showed her how to hold on. He would stand throughout the entire ride to ensure that she could not topple off. Even over the music of the ride, Blair could hear Charlotte giggling in excitement each time they past her. Occasionally, Chuck's baritone laughter would mix in.

"Are you going to like carousels as much as your sister?" Blair asked as she rubbed her stomach softly. The pregnancy was finally starting to seem real to her. She'd known she'd been pregnant for almost a month now, but it was only in the last few days that she felt pregnant. Perhaps it was the morning sickness or slight bump that she was suddenly sporting. Her clothes had felt a bit snug that morning as she tried to fit into Chuck's favorite skirt.

The carousel went around and around for ten minutes or more before Charlotte had her fill and wanted to get off. The operator assured Chuck that if she wanted to go again later, she could free of charge. Chuck was laughing at the operator's generous offer as he found Blair still waiting on the park bench.

"Charlotte wants to see the penguins," Chuck announced as he sat down next to Blair. Charlotte climbed into Blair's lap and hugged her.

"Did you have fun on the pony?" Blair asked as they sat for a few minutes. Charlotte nodded as she clapped her hands. "And I hope your daddy took pictures." She threw a cautionary eye towards Chuck who was nodding his confirmation as he pulled his phone out of his suit jacket pocket and began showing Blair the photographic proof she was looking for. There was a curiously unfocused picture of Chuck that she looked to him to explain.

"Charlotte wanted to take a picture of her daddy," he explained, "But she couldn't keep the camera still as she went up and down."

"Alright, Charlotte, let's take another picture of daddy," Blair stated as she held out the phone for Charlotte to grab onto. She aimed it at Chuck who gave her a goofy smile as they waited for Charlotte to push the button. Blair laughed at the dopey grin on his face. Only Charlotte could pry that smile out of him.

"Penguins!" Charlotte exclaimed as she began jumping up and down in Blair's lap. Chuck eyes went wide as he quickly pulled Charlotte out of Blair's arms. Charlotte was scared that she had done something wrong. Her eyes were instantly filled with tears as her face scrunched up as it did when she was about to start crying.

"It's okay, Charlotte," Chuck assured her quickly as he gently bounced her up and down, "You just can't jump on Mommy right now." The tears began to dry quickly as he kissed her cheeks. He gave Blair a questioning look to see if she was okay.

"I'm fine," she assured him, chuckling a little at his irrational behavior, "A few bumps are not going to do any permanent damage."

Charlotte looked curiously at her parents, before stating, "Penguins!"

"Come on, Daddy, your little girl wants penguins," Blair teased as she stood up and began pushing the stroller as Chuck followed closely behind her. He asked Charlotte if she wanted to ride in the stroller, but she refused as she always did. Blair chuckled at his attempt. Why did he even bother? They were leaving the stroller home the next time they came to the park.

Charlotte wanted to stay with the penguins for almost an hour. Blair and Chuck had tired of them after ten minutes, but Charlotte could not be persuaded to leave so they stayed.

"I want one," Charlotte announced as they finally managed to pry her away after convincing her that it was the penguins' naptime. It wasn't, of course, but it did the trick.

"Oh this should be interesting," Blair thought as she processed Charlotte's request. Chuck famously caved to every one of Charlotte's wishes. How was he going to manage to give her something that was out of even Chuck Bass's reach?

"You have one at home," Chuck insisted, referring the large stuffed one he had bought her during their last visit to the park as they walked away from the glass window as fast as Charlotte's little legs would carry her.

"I want one now," she demanded as she began jumping up and down. This was what Chuck had lovingly referred to as Charlotte's 'Waldorf Tantrum'. He said so because she looked just like Blair when she did it. Blair began laughing at the demand. She knew she should have insisted on bringing that stuffed toy with them instead of merely suggesting it.

Chuck handed Blair a wad of cash and pleaded with his eyes to go to the vendor a little ways away and buy their daughter another one. Blair rolled her eyes as she allowed him to cave into their daughter's wish. He was so weak. Next time they were bringing that stupid stuffed animal with them.

Once Charlotte had been calmed down with the stuffed animal safely in her arms, they decided to have the picnic that they had packed in the stroller, the only advantage of bringing the thing with.

Chuck laid out the blanket and unloaded the food as Charlotte played with her new toy. Even at eighteen months, it was evident that she had an active imagination. She was always playing with her toys, talking to them in her own language and making up responses in differing voices. She was going to be an actress, Chuck had announced one evening as they lay in bed after making love.

Blair passed on the lunch that their chef had prepared, sticking with the saltine crackers she had shoved into her purse at the last possibly minute. Her stomach was just a little too queasy for anything the chef had prepared. Charlotte too wanted to pass on what Chuck tried to get her to eat. She wanted to be like Mommy and eat crackers. Blair tried to hide the giggle that formed at that announcement.

"We should have named you 'Mini-Blair'," Chuck laughed as he began tickling Charlotte, "You are so much like your mother."

Blair gave Chuck a knowing look. It was time to tell their daughter the good news.

"Charlee, Daddy and I have something to tell you," Blair began.

"How would you like to be a big sister?" Chuck asked. Blair wasn't sure she would understand the question, but this is how Chuck had wanted to do it.

Charlotte looked at Chuck curiously. Clearly he needed to explain what he meant.

"You know how your friend Sara has a new sister," he explained, referencing the little girl that they had play dates with at least once a month, "Would you like one?"

She shook her head no. Blair could help but laugh out.

"Why not?" Chuck asked with a frown.

"Sara share toys," Charlotte stated, "Me no share."

Chuck and Blair both began laughing in response. They had a selfish little eighteen-month old on their hands. If ever there was a time that she was Blair and Chuck's child, this was it.

"What if I told you that you didn't have to share your toys?" Chuck stated as he attempted to keep a straight face, "Would you want one then?"

Charlotte looked at her penguin and then at Blair and Chuck as if she was giving it some serious consideration. "Okay," she stated simply.

"That's a good answer, Charlotte," Chuck responded as he kissed her cheek, "Because Mommy is going to have a baby soon."

Charlotte didn't know what that meant but she saw how happy Chuck and Blair were so she cheered.

**TBC. . .**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Things are going to be different this time, Blair," Chuck stated emphatically as they sat in their private theater and watched Blair's favorite movie, 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'. He was caressing her pregnant stomach rhythmically. She was six months pregnant, and he could not be more thrilled.

"What are you talking about?" she asked as she turned in his arms so that she could look in his eyes to see the sincerity in them. She had been so engrossed in the movie, but his statement jarred her from her thoughts as only he could.

"I want to do this right," Chuck sighed as his head fell back against the cushions of their seat. He didn't know how to explain to Blair what he was talking about.

"What have you ever done wrong?" she inquired as her eyes began to sparkle. She was clearly teasing him.

"Don't answer that," Chuck glared at her. There were just too many hurtful things he had done to too many people, her included.

Blair frowned at his response. She hated that he was so hard on himself for things that had happened so many years ago. Sure, once upon a time, she would have considered himself the devil, but he wasn't that person any more. He hadn't been for a long time. Besides she was no saint.

"What exactly do you want to do right this time?" she inquired as she kissed his cheek as a means to distract him from whatever negative thoughts he may be having about himself.

"I want to be there when this child is born," he stated very matter of fact.

"Chuck, I would love nothing more than to have you next to me during the delivery, but are you sure that you can handle it?" she pressed. She hesitated only because she heard the stories about how obnoxiously impatient he had been during Charlotte's birth. He actually punched out his step-brother, Eric, for making a joke.

"I want to be given the opportunity to try," he stated, "I want to do the Lamaze classes with you, and go to the doctor's appointments."

Blair looked at him hesitantly. She knew him better than she knew herself on most days. They had made it through one round of childbirth, but the thought of Blair giving birth again still freaked him out. Nothing had changed in his mind. He was still terrified that she could possibly die while giving birth as his mother had done when she had given birth to him.

"Chuck, there are a lot of things that are going on during childbirth, none of which will be in your control. You know I love you with all my heart, but you are a control freak. I don't want you kicking out the entire hospital staff because they didn't wipe my brow to your satisfaction," she responded.

He began cursing under his breath. It was frustrating him that she wasn't even considering his request.

"Let me go to the Lamaze classes and the doctor's appointments to start with," he compromised, "At least let me prepare for the possibility. Serena has already done this once. She knows the drill."

"Okay," she agreed, "But the first sign of trouble, you are out the door, Mister Bass."

"Fair enough," he agreed.

He made it his mission to be on his best behavior during the doctor's appointments. He paid very close attention to the Lamaze class, taking notes throughout and asking the instructor question after question, almost to the point of annoyance. Although the video of some poor woman giving birth grossed him out, he didn't let Blair see that. "How had Blair done this before? How is any of this possible? How could something as big as a baby come out from such a small place?" he kept thinking.

The birthing video was very comical for Blair to watch the second time around, not exactly the video itself, but Chuck's reaction to it. He kept scrunching up his brow in confusion as if what he was watching was a Hollywood special effects trick and not an actual delivery. Through it all, he kept taking notes and writing down questions to ask the instructor. She almost had wished that she had filmed her own experience to show Chuck. . .almost.

* * *

"So, we're a month away from the blessed event," Chuck stated one evening as they prepared the nursery for the impending arrive. Charlotte had been tucked into her bed for the evening, and Blair had been restless while trying to get some sleep so they decided to use the quiet time to their advantage.

"More or less," she agreed as she rubbed her stomach. She was much smaller the second time around. The doctors had assured her that it was very common. She hadn't overeaten this time as is typical for first time mothers.

"And I've been a very good boy," he smirked devilishly.

"I know where you're going with this, Chuck Bass, but I haven't made of my mind yet," she insisted. She suddenly winced in pain.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he came to her side instantly.

"Nothing, just a rib shot," she assured him, "This child is going to be a soccer player. I'm sure of it."

"Stop kicking your mother," Chuck scolded the unborn child. Blair began laughing as he urged her to sit down in the rocking chair while the kicking continued. He could see the little movements across her stomach.

"He's very active this evening," she stated as she tried to soothe the child to sleep by caressing her belly. It was usually a very effective method, but tonight it was having the opposite effect. Chuck knelt down next to her, and began humming softly. The child settled down instantly.

"How do you know it's going to be a boy?" Chuck inquired once the baby was settled and he was helping Blair to her feet. As they had done with Charlotte, they wanted to be surprised during the delivery. Chuck was convinced that Blair had snuck a peak at the report during one of their visits. She was continually referring to the child as a 'he'.

"Just a feeling," she shrugged, "I had the same feeling with Charlotte. I knew she was going to be a girl, and she was."

"That's why you made that deal with me about the name," he concluded. He was mad now, not blow up and start yelling mad, just mad that he had been tricked. It had been over two years since they'd agreed to allow Blair to name their child if it was a girl, and him if it was a boy. They were still having the disagreement this time on names. Chuck insisted that this time it was his turn, boy or girl.

"Chuck, I do not want a son named Charles Bartholomew Bass Junior," she insisted. She saw the dark look in his eyes. She knew it well. "That's too much for a child to live up to." That was what their current disagreement continued to be. "Even your father didn't name you after himself, and he had the biggest ego of anyone I'd ever met."

"You think it's ego for me to want to name my son after myself," he responded in a mock hurtful tone.

"I know it is," she smirked. She could see that he was toying with her now by the glimmer in his eyes.

"Come on, Blair, you got Charlotte, it's my turn," Chuck responded as he stomped his foot like a child would.

"Okay, now you're acting like Charlee when we don't give into her every demand," Blair laughingly pointed out.

"Charlotte looks like you when she pouts," Chuck insisted as he crossed his arms in front of his chest to let her know he was going to stand his ground on this one, "I have my own unique pout."

"And it's a very cute pout," she assured him as she stood on her toes and leaned in to kiss him.

"Come on, Blair," he whispered seductively in her ear. He was quickly melting.

"Okay," she finally agreed, "You can name this child on one condition. He or she's name cannot start with a C."

"What's wrong with the C?" Chuck asked as he grabbed his chest as if she stabbed him.

"Nothing is wrong," she assured him, "But two thirds of this family already starts with a C. It's time to change it up a bit."

"I promise no C's," he promised as he put his hand on her stomach. Their child picked that moment to begin kicking again.

"You woke him up," she pouted.

"I'm sorry," he responded as he kissed her lips.

TBC . . .


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Daddy," Charlotte squealed as she jumped on a soundly sleeping Chuck first thing that morning. Blair was laughing hysterically on the other side of their bed. Clearly someone had given their little brunette toddler some encouragement.

It had been two weeks since they came to an agreement that Chuck could name their child, and he had thought about little else in that time. He had narrowed it down to a few possibilities, but he kept them a closely guarded secret. He didn't want to be influenced one way or the other.

"Charlotte, that's not very nice," Chuck laughed as he gobbled her up in his arms and began tickling her. Charlotte began laughing hysterically as she tried to wiggle free.

"Stop it, Daddy," Charlotte finally screeched when she realized that she couldn't break free. Chuck let her go as she scrambled over to Blair who she had realized after months of torturous tickle sessions was the best place to seek protection. Blair hugged and kissed her before Charlotte began rubbing her belly. "Is the baby sleeping?"

"No," Blair responded as it continued kicking. She looked like she hadn't gotten much sleep that evening.

"Charlotte, why don't you go to the kitchen and ask Dorota to make you waffles," Chuck responded as he picked her up and set her on her feet, "Your mom and I will be there in a minute."

"Dorota," Charlotte called out as she skipped out of her parents' bedroom.

"That child becomes more like you every day," Chuck laughed at how remarkably similar Blair and Charlotte's voices matched as they called out for their trusty companion. Chuck had finally pried Blair's long time housemaid away from her mother a few months earlier. It had cost him a pretty penny, but she was worth every cent of it.

"Chuck," Blair called out in warning.

"What's wrong?" Chuck asked as he rushed to her side.

"I think I'm in labor," Blair responded as she began breathing through the pain as she gripped his hand tightly.

"What!" Chuck exclaimed, "How long has that been going on?" He quickly reacted to remind her of her breathing exercises. She still hadn't given him an answer on the whole staying by her side during the birth, but he wasn't going to let her do any of this alone.

"A few hours," she admitted as she took another deep breath.

"Blair, you should have woken me up," he insisted as he kissed her forehead.

"You looked so peaceful," she responded as she took one last deep breath as the contraction subsided.

"How far apart are the contractions?" he asked as he looked at his watch to start timing.

"About five minutes," she replied. This is when her labor had really accelerated with Charlotte, so naturally it sent Chuck into frantic mode.

"We need to get you to the hospital," Chuck responded as he helped her out of bed.

"We have time. My water hasn't even broke yet," she tried to assure him, "Go get changed, call Serena and tell her to meet us at the hospital. I'll go get Charlotte ready for the day."

"Blair, I can handle Charlotte," he insisted, "I'll call Lily and have her come stay with Charlotte. Dorota can watch her until Lily gets here."

"Chuck, we have time," Blair assured him, "Call Lily. We can wait until she gets here, but don't forget to call Serena as well."

Chuck nodded as he picked up his phone from the nightstand and began dialing numbers as he disappeared from their bedroom to fill Dorota in on what was happening only to return as quick as possible.

"Lily is on her way over. Serena will meet us at the hospital in an hour. Charlotte is jumping up in down in excitement, and Dorota is boiling water," Chuck updated her as he stepped into their closet where she was trying to get dressed. She was struggling through another contraction. He rushed to her side. "Blair, call me when these contractions kick in."

"I'm okay," she assured him as she gripped his hand tightly.

"Come on, Waldorf," he responded as he helped her finished getting dressed. She growled at him for using her maiden name. If ever there was a time that she was a Bass, it was when she was having his child.

Chuck couldn't resist the smirk that made its way to his lips. "You don't know what a turn on it is to hear you growl at me."

"Chuck Bass, I am in labor with your child!" she exclaimed, "Can you not think about sex at this moment?"

"I haven't thought about sex in years," he responded defensively, "With you it's always making love. There is a difference, and don't you ever forget it."

"Well, you can forget it for the next ten years," she replied as a contraction gripped her tighter than she ever remembered with Charlotte, "We are not having any more children."

"We're having at least one more today," he insisted. He hid his smirk this time. She was in a lot of pain this time, he could tell. She didn't use that threat on him last time even though he had expected it. She actually sounded serious about it. He prayed to god that it was the labor talking. He'd never be able to live without making love to Blair ever again.

* * *

"Did I miss anything?" Serena scrambled into Blair's room. In true van der Woodsen fashion, she was three hours later than she had said she would be.

Chuck had been by Blair's side the entire morning, coaching her through every contraction, tending to her every need. He was scared out of his mind, but he was stubbornly determined to stay with her.

"Only most of my labor," Blair responded sarcastically.

"Contractions are less than two minutes apart. She's dilated nine centimeters, and the doctors say she's ready to go at almost any time," Chuck added, his voice sounded calmer than he actually felt.

"And so are you," Blair responded as she waved him away.

"I'm not going anywhere," he stated empathetically.

"Chuck, you're being here has helped me more than you know," Blair responded as she took his hand and kissed it sweetly, "But I can see the panic in your eyes. I can't do this if I'm worrying about you."

"Blair, you won't have to worry about me, and I'm not going anywhere," he responded. He knew now was not the time to argue with her, but he wasn't going to allow her to shove him out the door either. "We are in this together."

"Chuck Bass, if you don't get out of here right now, I'm going to call security," she screamed.

"And tell them what?" he chuckled, "That your husband won't leave your side while you're giving birth to his child. I'm not so sure they'll understand your point."

"I'll lie and tell them that you're some weird pervert that enjoys watching women you don't know give birth," she snapped.

"Chuck, maybe you should leave," Serena decided to step in.

"Don't listen to her," Chuck responded as he dismissed Serena's suggestion with a wave of his hand, "You're playing right into her hands. She really does want me here, but she wants to see how much I'll fight to stay."

"That's not true, Chuck!" Blair scoffed, "Now get OUT!"

"No," he hissed, "I am going to be right here. You can call security, you can call the police, you can even call the armed forces, but I am not leaving you."

"That's so sweet!" Serena squeaked.

"You're not helping," Blair snapped at her best friend.

"Someone is feisty today," Serena shot back, "You were much better during Charlotte's birth."

"That's because Chuck left when I asked him to," Blair growled. Chuck and Serena exchanged amused looks.

"I'll behave," Chuck promised sincerely, "If I do anything inappropriate during the delivery, you can kick me out then."

"Promise!" Blair demanded.

"I swear on my love for you, Charlotte, and this child," he assured her as he rubbed her belly affectionately. She didn't need to hear anymore. His love for his family was the most sacred and powerful thing to him.

The doctor decided to make his entrance at that moment. After doing a quick exam, he announced that Blair was ready to be moved into delivery.

Chuck froze at the announcement. He'd been fighting the demons all day and had managed to keep them at bay. He'd been through every contraction, soaked up every assurance the doctor had given him that the labor was progressing as well as expected, but that moment stopped his heart.

This was the moment his mom had started slipping away. Blair saw the look of shear panic in his eyes.

"Chuck?" she called out tentatively as she tried to bring him back to her.

"I'm sorry, Blair," he responded tearfully as he leaned over to press his forehead to hers, "I really thought I could do this, but I can't."

"It's okay," she assured him as she traced her finger along his pronounced jaw line, "I can do this."

He kissed her passionately before he tore out of the room, thrusting the door open so hard that it nearly knocked out an orderly that was coming to help transport Blair to the delivery room. He was cursing himself all the way to the waiting room where his friends and family had gathered to await the news.

"Chuck, how is she?" Eleanor asked as she went to hug him.

"Leave me alone," Chuck snapped as he waved her away.

Nate knew to get him out of the room before he exploded like he had with Eric during Charlotte's birth. There was a private room already set up for him just in case, Nate had made sure of that.

Chuck began pacing the room as soon as Nate closed the door behind them. Nate knew to stay out of his way. His job was the same as it was last time. Keep Chuck relatively calm, get updates when he demanded them, and ensure that nobody got too close.

"I hate myself for abandoning her," Chuck stated suddenly. The words caught Nate by surprise. He hadn't said one coherent thing during the first five minutes they were alone.

"You didn't abandon her," Nate insisted, "You did the best you could. Blair didn't expect anything more than that."

"It should be me in that delivery room coaching her, telling her to push, assuring her that she's doing an amazing job. I should be cutting the umbilical cord, and I should be the first one to hold our child, not Serena," Chuck stated.

"Come on, Man, don't be so hard on yourself," Nate demanded, "Nobody knows how difficult this is for you more than Blair."

The door suddenly opened. Nate quickly got up to cut whoever it was that was trying to gain entrance, but the small Charlotte Bass got passed him before he saw her. His attention had been on Lily who had entered with the little girl.

"Hi, Daddy," Charlotte stated cheerfully as she attached herself to Chuck's leg.

"Just what I needed," he chuckled as he picked her up and accepted the gigantic hug his daughter was offering.

"I'm sorry, Charles, but she insisted on seeing you," Lily explained, "I distracted her as long as I could. She didn't want to stay at the penthouse, and my outing in the park didn't distract her for longer than twenty minutes."

"It's okay, Lily," Chuck assured her as Charlotte kissed his one cheek and then turned his head so that she could kiss the other. A large smile appeared on his face. She was the magical cure for all of Chuck's anxiety.

"Charlotte, will you please stay with Lily and your godfather, Nate, and be a good girl for him?" Chuck asked as he handed her off to his best friend.

Nate looked at Chuck curiously.

"I have to be with Blair," he announced as he strutted out of the room.

"He'll really make it this time," Nate concluded as Charlotte hugged him, "You are the best medicine for your daddy, Charlee." She giggled as he tickled her stomach.

"Alright, Mrs. Bass, I need one more big push," the doctor stated as Chuck burst into the delivery room.

"CHUCK!" Blair exclaimed as she reached out for him. He was by her side in a moment, holding her hand as she pushed one final time.

"And he's out," the doctor announced as he cradled the child in his hands, "Congratulations Mister and Mrs. Bass, it's a boy."

"You have excellent timing," Blair sighed in relief as Chuck kissed her sweat soaked forehead before he accepted the scissors that a nurse was handing him and cut his son's umbilical cord where he was instructed.

"He's beautiful, Blair," Chuck stated as he admired their son from a distance as the nurse cleaned him up. Serena was surprisingly quiet as she let them have their moment. She just held Blair's hand as the doctor began examining her.

"He needs a name," Blair responded as the nurse wrapped their son up and handed him to Chuck. She had tears in her eyes as Chuck lowered their son down so that Blair could catch her first real glimpse of him. He looked just like baby pictures she had seen of Chuck.

"I've been giving this a little thought," Chuck responded as he held his son in awe, "Brice Nathaniel Waldorf-Bass."

"Nathaniel? Really?" Blair repeated in surprise as he laid their son in her arms so she could hold him.

"Well, he is my best friend, and if it wasn't for him we never would have ended up together in the first place," he rationalized before he began laughing as he added, "And I never would have gotten through Charlotte or Brice's birth without getting arrested."

"Go show him off to the family," Blair stated after holding her son for few minutes of stunned silence as she handed their son back to his father.

"I'll wait," Chuck responded as he motioned towards the doctor who was still examining Blair. He was rocking back and forth slightly with Brice in his arms. His nerves hadn't settled yet even though she appeared to be perfectly fine.

"Chuck, I'm fine," Blair insisted as she reached out for his hand.

"Let the expert make that determination," Chuck insisted as he shifted slightly to free up one hand to hold hers, "I pay him good money for it."

"You pay me excellent money," the doctor clarified as he looked up, "And Mrs. Bass, you appear to be in tip top shape."

"At least as much as I can be considering I just pushed a kid out," Blair amended.

"Exactly what I meant," the doctor laughed.

"Now, go show him off," Blair insisted, "And bring Charlotte when you come back."

"How do you know she's even here?" Chuck looked at her curiously.

"She's the only one who could have given you enough courage to come in here," Blair rationalized.

"You know me so well," Chuck stated as he kissed her before he looked to the doctor one more time for reassurance. After getting a confident nod, Chuck turned to Serena, "Guard her with your life."

"Always," Serena responded as she took Blair's hand.

"Wow, that didn't take long," Nate responded as Chuck found him in the private waiting room with Charlotte and Lily where he had left them.

"Charlotte, meet your brother, Brice," Chuck stated as he knelt down next to Charlotte so that she could see her brother. Charlotte immediately bent over and kissed his forehead. Lily was fortunate enough to have her phone handy and was able to capture the moment.

"How's Blair?" Nate asked.

"She's good," Chuck responded as he sighed in relief as he wiped a tear out of his eyes that Charlotte had caused with her sweet gesture.

"He looks just like you, Charles," Lily marveled as she looked over Chuck's shoulder.

"Is that good or bad?" Nate inquired.

"I have to finish showing him off to the family and then get back to Blair," Chuck responded as he stood up. He waited for Nate to pick Charlotte up and follow him into the waiting room to many squeals of delight.

* * *

"Are you up for visitors?" Chuck asked as he pushed the door to Blair's room open. She had been transported back to her private room in the time it took to free himself from the family.

"Mommy!" Charlotte stated as she ran towards Blair, jumping on the chair next to Blair's bed so she could have a better view of her.

"There's my little girl," Blair responded with a smile as she reached out for Charlotte's hand, "Did you have fun with Lily today?"

"Yep, she took me on a pony ride," Charlotte nodded.

Blair looked curiously at Chuck for an explanation.

"That's the first I'm hearing of it," Chuck responded as he lifted an eyebrow at his daughter curiously, "What pony?"

"The pretty pink one at the Park," Charlotte explained.

"Carousel," Blair and Chuck stated in unison.

"Charlotte, do you want to hold your brother?" Chuck asked as he knelt down next to Charlotte's chair as he motioned for Blair to grab the camera Serena had once again remembered to leave for them. Charlotte was nodding her head vigorously.

"You have to sit down, Sweetheart," Blair instructed her as she shifted in her bed so that she could get a better look. Charlotte did as she was told. Once she was safely seated, Chuck swiftly shifted the chair so that Blair had a better view before he gently laid Brice in Charlotte's arms. Blair had been teaching Charlotte how to hold a baby for a few months, and she did so beautifully.

"The second time around is so much better," Chuck stated as he leaned over to kiss Blair before he turned back to admire his children. "Thank you, Waldorf."

"Thank you, Bass," she teased, "I love you."

"I love you too," Chuck replied as he watched his children in awe. Life couldn't get any better than this.

**The End.**


End file.
